Daffodil Show

The Pollinator Display won 1st Place Blue Ribbon from the National Garden Club at the Daffodil Show in Chambersburg, PA.

Best smelling nest in the valley!

After taking down the horse fence, I had some Norway Spruce planted along the back of the property.

My hope is that I can attract a wider variety of birds by creating a tiny grove of protected habitat.

I do have an ulterior motive.  Photography.  My new trees are not very big yet.  Only 4-5 feet tall at this point.  But I am delighted to see three birds nests in the nine planted.  This far exceeds my expectations for this year.  This photo is a nest with eggs belonging to a pair of Mourning Doves.  If you notice in the back, they have a dryer sheet woven into the nest.

This is partial view of another nest build by a pair of Mocking Birds.  They've stolen pieces of string used to tie sections of rolled up horse fence, which we've stored on the flat trailer.

The birds have the whole recycling thing down better than I do!

Early Foragers

My neighbor, Nancy, has the most beautiful azalea in her backyard.  Unfortunately it grows under some maple trees and doesn't get very much sunlight.  As a result, there's never very many flowers on it in the spring.  This year though, it has produced more flowers than I've ever seen it produce.  I'm not sure how much of that has to do with the storm damage to our 25 ft. arborvitae growing nearby.  The ice caused a huge chunk to break off of one side.  Oddly enough, the side facing Nancy's azalea.  Or how much of it has to do with our cutting down the English walnut tree this winter.  Also growing nearby.  So perhaps it got more sunlight than in previous years.  Or maybe it was from the pruning back I did to it last year after it was done blooming.  With Nancy's permission of course.  Or was it just a combination of all of the above.
In any case, it has been there for a good number of years without much tending to. 

It is the most beautiful shade of pink/red/coral rosy color.  And the bees just love it.

I do too.  In fact, I find myself completely enchanted by it this year.  And like the bees, I think I'm going to show it a little more love this spring.

Give us this day our daily bread